After spending months indoors, many of us are looking forward to catching up with family and friends across the world this winter. Some countries have eased their border restrictions, and some are allowing for domestic travel. What do you need to keep in mind to ensure your safety this winter? Let’s take a look.
Winter Travelling Safety Tips
Stay safe on the flight
If you’re thinking of booking a flight, there are a number of precautionary measures to keep in mind beforehand. Unlike road trips or travelling by train, air travel exposes you to more people and more crowds outside of your hometown and city. Testing is key, and most airlines today require you to carry proof of a negative Covid-19 test before getting on board. This ensures that you do not pass on the virus to those around you, and also gives you a peace of mind when travelling with strangers on the flight.
Carry travel-sized hand sanitiser sprays and wipes to clean surfaces and your hands if you touch anything. Wear a mask that fully covers your nose and mouth at all times, especially in crowded areas like airport terminals, on the flight and in waiting areas. Maintain a safe distance of two metres when queuing and at all counters. Try to avoid coming in contact with and touching those over the age of 65 and anyone who suffers from chronic illness, as they’re the ones who are most at risk.
Pack essentials and warm layers
Travelling during the winter months is always risky, regardless of this year’s global pandemic. Cold and flu season is rampant and more contagious as people across the world come in contact with each other during festivities and reunions. Pack warm clothing and carry layers while you travel.
Aeroplanes and trains can get quite cold during the journey, so it’s important to be prepared, plus you can always take off a layer if you feel too warm. Covering exposed skin with a layer also gives you added protection from unsanitary surfaces.
Pack extras of your basic essentials, and don’t forget a change of clothes in your carry-on. Delays in transport, missed connections and overbooking are common problems for travellers during the winter months, due to unpredictable weather, storms or crowds during peak times.
You may not always be able to get on the next flight or find appropriate accommodation, so keeping essentials with you is crucial if you need to spend a day or two at the airport. If you’re stuck in an unfamiliar place and don’t speak the language, it’s better to have everything you need on your person than have to hunt for help on foreign land.
Do plenty of research
Whether you are travelling somewhere new or back to your hometown, 2020 has introduced many new rules and regulations to cities across the world so do your research before you travel. Do you need to quarantine upon arrival? Have you booked your transport and accommodation? Do you have alternatives for any unforeseen delays at your destination? Do you need to get tested for Covid-19 on your return journey, and if so, where can you get it done? These are the questions you need to get answered before you travel.
Check your destination’s weather conditions so that you can easily arrive and travel without any hassle. If you are going somewhere with ice and snow, make sure you have the right footwear and outerwear to withstand strong temperatures to keep you safe in extreme climates. For warmer places pack accordingly to avoid heatstroke and dehydration. Keeping yourself healthy is key to keeping safe while travelling.
Stay safe by keeping away from crowded touristy areas. Spending time with loved ones at home or in private areas has become increasingly popular, and outdoor venues outside of big cities pose a safer option than staying in a city.
Make the most of it
No matter what happens, it’s important to keep a positive outlook and have a great time on your travels. Many people suffer from ‘winter sadness’ or Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) due to the drop in temperature and lack of sunshine in many countries during winter.
2020 has been a tough year for everyone across the world, and as some of us try to get back to reviving a sense of normality, it’s become imperative to support those around us and help one another overcome the winter blues this year. If this year has taught us anything, it’s that we need to be flexible in our plans and take things as they come.
These tips will keep you safe on your travels, but you need to also adhere to the guidelines and rules of your government to ensure your safety at the time of travel.
